


A Doctor's Log

by theherocomplex



Series: Journey of the Featherless [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Pre-Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-10 18:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10443792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theherocomplex/pseuds/theherocomplex
Summary: Being a collection of impressions, observations, and ruminations, by one Dr. Lexi T’Perro, staff physician on the Tempest.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thievinghippo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thievinghippo/gifts).



> Notes: Spoilers abound, but specifically for Liam’s armor request and part of Jaal’s loyalty mission (through the end of “Flesh and Blood”). Pre-romance (incipient Sis!Ryder/Jaal).
> 
> This is loose, this is messy, and hopefully, this is funny. There may be more to come, but we shall see! <3

**Entry One:**

 

Our young Pathfinder certainly has a talent for finding — well, _talent_ , in the most unusual places. From what I understand, she found our resident krogan on Eos, slaughtering the local wildlife. I believe he's wearing the bones of his kills.

And yet, he's charming, but anyone's standards. A little gruff, but that's to be expected. He and Vetra seem to be getting along famously, if what I overhear from the crew's quarters is any indication.

Cora is still dealing with residual frustration and resentment over the Pathfinder's role passing from Alec to his daughter, but she is a consummate professional, and after an initial tense conversation with Ryder, has allowed herself to process and grieve in private. I've made a note to check in with her — something Cora will be astute enough to recognize — but I foresee no future issues in that quarter.

Sometimes it's best simply to let time and distance do all the healing work. Harry, if you ever read this, know that I can _hear_ you smirking.

 

**Entry Seven:**

 

Liam continues to impress me — his good humor and willingness to reach out to everyone has defused more than a few potential arguments. I'm rather amazed at how he dismantled what could have been a rather explosive argument over the last of the Fishdog Food Shack nuggets (I shudder to think what was in them, to have lasted so long in suspension!). His loyalty is unquestioned. He'd be an asset on any team, but I'm glad he's with us.

Ryder stayed in her quarters for an extra forty-three minutes this morning. SAM assures me she was simply working out, but I've made a note to watch her stress levels a little more carefully. Excess exercise may be just one symptom of a larger problem.

I do hope they're able to wake up her brother, soon. Her role is a lonely one.

 

**Entry Ten:**

 

Peebee has managed to elude all my attempts to begin a dialogue. Unsurprising, really, though I suppose I've learned all I need to for the time being, based on the _enormous_ context clue of her setting up in the escape pod. She rubs Cora the wrong way, but that huntress discipline is serving Cora well — unless Peebee actively draws her ire, there won't be a problem.

Suvi and Kallo taught me something called a "band name game" this afternoon. I'm ashamed to say that they utterly trounced me. The next time we stop at the Nexus, I'm downloading the music library to the _Tempest_ 's computers. There's so much I missed, and I can't keep listening to the Vaenia soundtrack forever.

No matter how much I'd like to.

 

**Entry Fourteen:**

 

How in the Goddess' name does Gil manage to keep beating me at poker? That's four decades of savings wiped out in a single evening. ~~Bastard~~.

From now on, I'll stick to playing with our pilot and science officer, and stay away from predatory engineers.

 

**Entry Twenty-One:**

 

I'm still not sure how Peebee managed to get burned _there_ , but she, Ryder, and Drack seemed to think it was great fun. Gil turned a fascinating shade of crimson when he saw the damage to the Nomad, but he's taking it in stride. More accurately, he challenged Ryder to a game of poker when we dock at the Nexus tomorrow. I'm afraid our poor Pathfinder is going to be the victim of some very inventive revenge.

Drack is practically dancing at the thought of seeing Kesh so soon. It's sweet, really, how much he cares. Always a kind — well, kind by krogan standards — word for everyone.

I can hear Vetra "wheeling and dealing" — what an apt human phrase — in the crew quarters. Something about a special shipment of seeds from hydroponics. At last! A chance to get Ryder to eat her vegetables. How old is she again? Some days I think she subsists on protein bars and applesauce. If I wasn't so curious about how she managed, I'd be repulsed.

 

**Entry Twenty-Six:**

 

It's no coincidence that Ryder asked me to dinner mere hours after visiting her brother down in the cryo labs. Her psychological history shows no red flags, but she's been dealt several devastating blows in the last two months, and she's compensating by crushing on her doctor. Nothing new there, but it did sting to let her down. Human faces are so expressive.

She's not acting from a genuine attraction — or so I hope. Mere projection and loneliness, I think. I did a little more research into her background, and her last long-term relationship prior to joining the Initiative was with an asari. Falling back onto the familiar and comforting, then.

I would suggest she approach Peebee, but the two of them seem quite content as friends, and it isn't my place to meddle in intra-crew relationships unless it's to defuse tensions.

Certain kinds of tension, at least.

 

**Entry Thirty-Three:**

 

Horrible day. I'm exhausted, but Liam won't lose his eye, and Ryder and Vetra will recover from their wounds within a day or two. Damn kett.

This is the first time I've seen Ryder truly shaken. From the mission records, there was nothing she could have done to predict or prevent that ambush, but she's taking the failure personally. No tears, but I think today aged her by about a decade.

I've prescribed a week's rest for everyone while the away team heals, and a stop at Eos. It'll do Ryder good to see proof of her successes.

Drack keeps sending her pictures of grenade launchers, but I'm not sure how much that's helping. The gesture is as sweet as it gets, though.

 

**Entry Thirty-Eight:**

 

Word on the asari ark. They're alive. I feel like I can breathe again.

Now for news on the turians and salarians — let there be news. Please.

 

**Entry Forty-One:**

 

Ryder has been increasing her morning workouts by an average of five minutes per day, and has added an evening workout five out of seven days this week. She's eating to compensate, and her sleep hasn't undergone major changes, but I can trace these changes to our last visit to the Nexus — where there was no news about her brother.

She hasn't renewed her flirtations, but I would almost prefer that. At least flirtation has no punitive motivations.

 

**Entry Forty-Seven:**

 

Aya is magnificent. An oasis of green on a burning world. I had forgotten how soothing the sound of rushing water can be, even through the ship's speakers.

I admit, I'm disappointed I couldn't have gone with Ryder to meet the angara — an entirely new alien race! — but I'm grateful beyond words that Ryder returned to us in one piece. Cora and Vetra looked like they were letting her walk to her doom alone.

Ryder's diplomatic skills were equal to the task, it seems. The angara have agreed to let us land at Aya freely, and we seem to have acquired a new team member.

I wonder if he'll let me analyze some of that nourishment paste he brought on board.

And yes, Harry, I know better than to ask for a blood sample within the forty-eight hours of first contact.

 

**Entry Fifty-Two:**

 

And I thought Aya was beautiful. Of course, the flora and fauna on Aya weren't actively trying to kill Ryder and her team, but Havarl seems to have stepped up its dangers in proportion to its beauty.

Liam and Drack are having far too much fun with the wildlife. Jaal's caution is an excellent counterpoint. Ryder listens to him, but she doesn't defer authority. She's certainly done her best to make him feel welcome, though he is still slow to trust, and there's been some friction between them when she's asked too much, too soon.

He seems to realize her curiosity is without malice, which is the only reason why I haven't tried to give her an indirect hint or two, but she will need to learn moderation. Not everyone will like her, though it seems impossible that anyone would hate her. The charms of youth and optimism will carry her far — after that, she'll need to find some steel under that sunny disposition.

 

**Known downtime activities:**

 

Liam: Napping, rewatching vids of historical sports events ("real football" is a particular favorite).

Cora: Meditation, reading, gardening (we have tomatoes and _cenna_ , now!), and biotics training.

Peebee: Unknown (what does she get up to in that escape pod? Find out — Cora invited her to practice their biotics together; Peebee's answer was unequivocally negative.).

Jaal: Communicating with fellow resistance members, calibrating his omnitool (SAM notes a 3.2% increase in processing time; whether this is due to a unique aspect of his physiology or simply some clever "tinkering", as Jaal put it, has yet to be seen.).

Gil: ~~Fleecing innocent asari~~ Vigorous online debate, writing to his friend Jill, working out, watching historical sports events with Liam (addendum: Kallo, Suvi, and Cora have joined in as well; Jaal attended once and has not returned).

Suvi: Messageboards (known favorites cover scientific, religious, and social topics), listening to music.

Kallo: Poker with Gil ~~(glutton for punishment).~~

Vetra: Weapons modifications, cooking, and running what she refers to as "redistribution".

Drack: Cooking, drinking games, writing to Kesh, napping (he does love Liam's couch), eating.

Ryder: Working out (running, yoga, Pilates, and a sporadic volleyball game involving anyone she can coerce into playing; Drack is no longer allowed to spike the ball), watching historical dramas based on fictional human literature (these generally originate in the 18th and 19th centuries; according to SAM, she has watched _North & South_ nine times since the _Tempest_ began its mission.).

 

Notes:

 

\+ _Cenna!_ Finally! I've been craving it for what feels like centuries.

\+ No more poker. Gil is lying when he says he'll "go easy".

\+ Find out what Peebee does, other than hide from me.

\+ Run diagnostic on Cora and Ryder's biotic amps.

\+ Watch _North & South. _

 

**Entry Fifty-Five:**

 

Quite the romantic, our Ryder. I wonder how much of that was involved in her decision to leave the Milky Way — clearly, her love for her family was at its heart, but now that her father is gone and her brother is still in a coma, what are her reasons for being here?

What is she looking for, when she stares out at Andromeda?

 

**Entry Fifty-Eight:**

 

They were _naked._

 

**Entry Fifty-Eight Point Five:**

 

I suppose I should be grateful Liam's _diplomacy_ didn't cause any inter-species incidents, but currently I am too curious about angaran anatomy to worry about politics. Besides, isn't that Ryder's job?

She seems to have handled the unexpected… _unveiling_ with aplomb, but I would expect nothing less.

 

**Entry Sixty:**

 

Just detoxed our Pathfinder for the third time this month. I wish Cora had never shown Ryder how to charge; we don't need another vanguard on this team.

It was, however, hilarious to watch. Apparently the wildlife's venom has hallucinogenic properties in small doses, and Ryder spent the entire firefight believing she was in a video game. I'm not sure what a "respawn point" is, but Suvi, Kallo, and Liam can't stop laughing.

 

**Entry Sixty-Four:**

 

Things I did not think I would need on this mission:

 

\+ Decompression chamber

 

Things I needed today:

 

\+ Decompression chamber

 

Note to self: decanting angarans, humans, and turians is even less fun than it sounds.

 

**Entry Seventy-Seven:**

 

Caught a glimpse of Ryder's anger — true anger — for the first time today, after some kind of mishap with SAM. Quite formidable. I haven't speculated much on the symbiotic relationship between Ryder and the AI — not my area — but there's clearly a great deal of affection, at least on Ryder's side. Dr. Aridana's lucky she was able to convince Ryder she wasn't at fault, or that hole in the bulkhead would have been through her chest.

I've patched up Ryder's hands, but forwent the lecture.

I did notice Jaal speaking to her afterwards. I don't know what was said, but he made her laugh, then she him. They embraced afterwards.

You know, I think that's the first time someone's touched her outside of a mission or medbay in months.

 

**Entry Eighty-Two:**

 

Cora's managed to grow carrots and a few herbs in the biolab, and Gil made a creditable pot roast. Jaal stuck with his nourishment paste, but everyone else — yes, Harry, even Vetra, the levo/dextro debate is a joke the salarians started, I've told you this before — had seconds. Ryder declared a weekly "family dinner", and I heard no objections.

In fact, she promised that next time there would be cake, and even Jaal promised to give that a try, once the requisite tests are done. Ryder promised him that his family wouldn't need to declare war on her over dessert, and his thanks were rather charming.

It's none of my business unless it affects their performance or the mission, but I can't stop watching Ryder and Jaal. Am I merely imagining a flirtation, or is there truly something there? She shows him no favoritism on missions, she spends no undue time with him — oh, I've been on this ship too long. At least that's what Drack told me last night, when neither of us could sleep.

It's been nice, sitting with him late at night, listening to the drive core and drinking tea.

Stop it, Lexi, not you too.

 

**Entry Eighty-Nine:**

 

 _Someone_ has been watching _North & South_, and while I'm not saying it's our angaran friend, I _am_ saying that someone in the tech lab has been working his steady way through all of Ryder's favorite dramas.

On a professional level, I would love to hear his thoughts on the cultural norms in those dramas, but on a personal level, I'm delighted. Joy is always at a premium.

Look at me, going all soft. Time to run through those tissue sample results again. That'll sober me right up.

 

**Entry Ninety-Six:**

 

Ryder didn't take the shot. Akksul had a gun on Jaal and — Goddess. She didn't take the shot. How did she know? I thought we had lost Jaal forever.

Incredible. There's iron in her, true iron. We may just make it through this yet.

~~ The way Jaal looked at her ~~

Her father would be so proud of her.

 


End file.
